wsbtroyno21

I am a Scottish lassie living with my Australian b/f in Scotland, UK.

We are currently in the process of gathering evidence, etc for our visa application (De-Facto Spouse Visa. Our Australian friends are working on drafts of their Stat Decs and we have both done first drafts of our own Stat Decs.

I was wondering if anyone would be willing to email me a copy of a completed Stat Dec just so we can tell if we are on the right track. I know this might be a bit personal and I will understand if no-one is willing - but if you don't ask, you don't get - lol !!

We have a good idea of what we are supposed to put in the declaration but not sure how much detail we should go into and how much we should write. If anyone can help we would really appreciate it.

Also we know that we require two Stat Decs from Australian Citizens but do we require Stat Decs from UK Citizens i.e friends/family or would signed statements be sufficient?

Also how much evidence should we include (I already have emails, phone bills, joint travel and holiday documents, joint bank account, letters and cards, joint electricity bills) and how should we present this i.e. should we put it into folders or just lump it all together??

Sorry to ask so many questions in my first post but you all seem to be so helpful !! (grovel, grovel)

We are hoping, if everything goes according to plan (fingers crossed), to be in Australia by November this year and we plan to live in Canberra.

Anyway, if any of you guys or gals can give us some advice we would be forever grateful !!

Merlot

Might be worth doing a search of previous posts as sometimes your questions have been answered.

Australia should be coming "alive" as we speak so you may got more answers then.

I did mine back in 1998 and can't remember what I did at lunchtime, so I would be no help!

Good luck
Merlot

Hels

Hi,

My Hubby got his spouse visa in August last year and as far as our stat decs go, they varied greatly. Mine was 3 pages, my Hubby's....1/2 a page.

I think if you include the basics like how, when, where you met, things you have done to make a life "together" and what you plan for your future, you should be ok. We just did them in letter form as did our friends and families with their letters. I dont have the letters on my computer anymore unfortunatly.

Hope this helps,

Hels

wsbtroyno21

Thanks guys. I am doing a search of the forums as we speak so hopefully I will uncover some more useful info. Thanks again for your replies.

mlbonner

I would do, but, I don't think it would help you much as its completely personal to my situation. In brief though, it kinda went like this;
- how we met
- how we kept in touch
- when we saw eachother again
- how the r'ship developed
- how the r'ship was emotionally/finanically/socially working (ie: Booklet One criteria)
- what are plans were to be together and how this would work
- how we saw our future developing together (we're building a house, planning on getting married etc)

We wrote our statements separately, seemed to work out quite well, as what one person might have forgotten the other would have remembered etc, so a good overall picture.


Think ours were about 3 or 4 sides each.

Aussie stat decs should be on form 888. UK stat dec's dont have quite the same legal requirement, while there is a legal form for them to go on, if you're applying offshore, you can generally get away without the legislative needs. My UK ones were probably 50/50 counter-signed by a JP or equivalent.

I'll PM you what I submitted - don't put anything into folders though, it should just go loose.


Ask lots of questions... otherwise you may never find out!!

DagBoy

As MLB said, the personal statements are generally just that - personal. Ours basically stated how we met, where we met, when we met, how the relationship developed, things we did together, things that prove committment.
When I submitted the application I included the following:

1.Completed form 47SP.
2.Completed form 40SP.
3.Certified copy of my United Kingdom passport and my Class 457 temporary visa
4.Certified copy of my United Kingdom Birth Certificate.
5.Certified copy of MrsDagBoy's Australian birth certificate.
6.Certified copy of MrsDagBoy's Australian passport.
7.Certified copy of our marriage certificate.
8.Sealed medical report from Health Services Australia.
9.Character checks – results of person record from New Scotland Yard (including copy of form submitted to xxxshire Constabulary) and Police Certificate Name Check from Australian Federal Police.
10.Statutory Declaration about our relationship from the SeniorDagBoys (my parents).
11.Statutory Declaration (form 888) about our relationship from MrsDagBoy's brother in law.
12.Statutory Declaration (form 888) about our relationship from MrsDagBoy's brother.
13.Statutory Declaration (form 888) about our relationship from one of our friends.
14.Passport photographs of DagBoy (4).
15.Passport photographs of MrsDagBoy (2).
16. Document outlining the history of our relationship from me (2½ pages).
17.Document outlining the history of our relationship from MrsDagBoy.

Additionally, the following documents in support of the fact that we are living together in a genuine relationship were provided:
1.Copy of home loan summary (a/c number) from Bank for month/year (initial set up of loan) in my name (bank issue duplicate identical statements)
2.Copy of home loan summary (a/c number) from Bank for month/year (initial set up of loan) in MrsDagBoy's name
3.Copy of home loan summary (a/c number) from Bank for one year later.
4.Copy of joint account statement (a/c number) dated from month/year (as far back as I could find).
5.Copy of joint account statement (a/c number) dated 2 years later.
6.Copies of our wills naming each other as executors and beneficiaries.
7.Copy of recent contract for the sale of our house.
8.Copy of letter from our buildings insurance (in joint names) concerning a claim.
9.Copy of a recent rates bill for our property (in joint names) from local council.
10.Copy of our boat rego renewal (in joint names).
11.Copy of our phone bill for January 2003 showing that MrsDagBoy regularly rings me on my mobile, that we have regular contact with both MrsDagBoy's family (Australia) and mine (UK).
12.Milk delivery bill – recent (in joint names).
13.Hotel bill for week holiday as a family in Yepoon.
14.Invitation to attend MrsDagBoy's uncle's 50th wedding anniversary in xxxxxxxx.
15. Thank you note for 60th birthday present from MrsDagBoy's brother.
16.Letter to us both from my sister.
17.Letter to MrsDagBoy from my brother's wife after they stayed with us for our wedding (month/year).
18.Card for our first wedding anniversary from MrsDagBoy's brother and sil.
19.Card for our first wedding anniversary from SeniorDagBoys.
20.New home card from MrsDagBoy's brother and sil when we moved into current house.
21.Assorted Christmas cards to us both
22.Card from SeniorDagBoys for our second wedding anniversary
23.Wedding invitation to us both.
24.Contents insurance policy in joint names.
25.Invitation to Brother in laws 60th birthday party.

Finally there were assorted cards etc. to prove that our relationship is genuine and continuing.
Some birthday cards, a card from some flowers I sent her, some wedding photos, letters we had sent each other before I came out here, her phone bill showing calls to my UK landline and mobile before I came out.

Hope that helps,

Cheers,

DagBoy

MrsDagboy

In our case I think it was mine that was ½ a page long

Sophie Louise

We're just going through the de facto spouse application now, and we've got stat decs from my boyfriend's parents (who are Aussies), and supporting ones (which isn't essential, but we thought may help) from my parents (Brits). We also got friends and families to write us letters - about one side each - saying things like how they knew us, when they knew we started seeing each other, how they see us socially etc. (E.g., spending the last couple of New Years/ Xmases together, birthday parties, etc.) They also all wrote that they viewed the relationship as genuine and lasting, and some of them wrote very nice things indeed!!!

We've included things like joint xmas cards, statements, mobile phone bills, CDS of photos from holidays, a CD of the travel journal I wrote when we went away for 3 months (with digital photos), and a copy of my will ( he doesn't have one yet - should I be worried.....?) Basically as much stuff as we could find that shows the seriousness of our relationship. (Decided not to include the letters we received from our old workplace - where we met - threatening us with 'further warnings' if we continued emailing each other during the working day )

Sophie

Kristine

We are hoping, if everything goes according to plan (fingers crossed), to be in Australia by November this year and we plan to live in Canberra.

Hooray for another Canberra resident!!!!
Nice to hear from you scottish lassie, I am also from Glasgow (i'm a south sider) been living in Brum for eight years and moving to Canberra at some point this year, hold ups on employers side!!!
Are you going out for a job?
Theres quite a few people looking at moving to Canberra this year so there should be plenty of people around to ask questions and sound off to!!
Kristine

wsbtroyno21

Thanks again for your help. I do realise the Stat Decs are very personal to each individual so I wasn't really surprised that no-one wanted to let me see an example of theirs. I just thought it would help clarify things for us.

If one of you guys would be willing to look at my Stat Dec and give me an opinion perhaps that would be easier??? If there are any volunteers please PM me.

I am probably worrying about nothing but we want to get it right first time - you guys know how stressful the whole thing is !!!

I have been in touch with the doctor and radiologist today - they advised cost of medical and blood test is £125 and cost of x-ray is £68. I should be able to get an appointment booked for some time in February.

Once again thanks to everyone for taking the time to reply. Suddenly, after months of thinking about this visa thing, it is suddenly very real and very very scary :scared: !!!!

wsbtroyno21

Hi Kristine,

Nice to hear from a fellow Glaswegian and future Canberra resident !!!

Neither of us have jobs in Canberra yet. Jim will have no problems getting a job - he has plenty of contacts and friends willing to give him work. I will be applying for jobs once I get over there - we want to take a month out when we get there so we can get organised on the house front and have a bit of a holiday first.

Glad to hear there are more people looking to move out to Canberra. We were getting a bit fed up with people slagging it off We visited Canberra in October 2004 and I absolutely loved the place. Jim lived there before he came to the UK and his friends are there.

Sophie Louise

Sorry to go a little off topic for a sec, but (looking at your Avatar) are you bikers? (And if so, are you taking your bikes?) Both myself and boyfriend ride (er, so to speak), and we keep changing our minds about whether or not to take them - think it sounds like lots of hassle decontaminating etc - may be better to buy again in Oz...

Sophie

Kristine

At least you guys have been!
I'm one of those nutters who are emigrating to a place i have never been - but hey, I'm lucky - going on my own, and only have cat to worry about. Have a job to go to, which is a big bonus!
It does get slagged off badly - ScutterUk who posts on here, lives there and does a spot of moonlighting for the Canberra tourist board lol!!!
Where abouts in Glasgow are you from? My mum and dad live in Govanhill, I'm due up there soon for one of my twice yearly visits!!!
Kristine

wsbtroyno21

That's soooo SPOOOOOKY :scared:

Its a small world Kristine. I was brought up in Govanhill......my brother still lives there !!!! I now live in Rutherglen.

Kristine

Freaky deaky indeed,
I lived in Boyd street for 20 years!!!

Used to work in the safeway in rutherglen!!! Am I freaking you out now???

You didnt go to Holyrood????